


Two Sides Of The Same Coin

by RagingBookDragon



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Caring Haytham Kenway, Connor Deserves Happiness, Don't get me wrong, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff and Humor, Humor, I am still upset about how Haytham's ending came about, Light Angst, but still, i understand why, it sucked
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:07:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25081363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RagingBookDragon/pseuds/RagingBookDragon
Summary: A surprise visit from Connor gives her time to divulge a bit of her husband's life to his son. Each one has seen the worst this world has to offer, but while they're on different sides, she's still convinced they're two sides of the same coin. She hopes that something she tells him will give some insight to Haytham...maybe even change the way they act.
Relationships: Haytham Kenway/Reader
Comments: 6
Kudos: 36





	Two Sides Of The Same Coin

She smiled as the man paced the room, hands wildly gesturing around, sometimes running roughly through his hair as he complained, “He’s disillusioned! And so single-minded! It’s like every mission, the only thing he’s concerned with is how much closer it’s going to get him to Lee! And don’t even get me started on trying to talk to him! He never listens— _are you listening to me, (Y/N)_?”

She looked up from the book, reclining into the armchair as she countered, “Of course, Haytham. I have been since you started _complaining_ about Connor.”

His face pinched as he stalked towards her, hands gripping each arm of the chair, leaning close to her face. “You’re _mocking_ me.”

(Y/N) snorted, reaching up to soothe the harsh lines on his forehead. “You keep making faces like that and it’ll get suck.” He huffed a laugh and reached up, taking her hand in his. He pressed it to his lips, gently laying a kiss to her knuckles and she added, “Darling, he’s a young man who’s passionate about what he believes in.”

Haytham groaned as he lowered to his knees, laying his head in her lap. (Y/N) chuckled, carding his fingers through his hair. “But he’s so…he’s so—”

She tugged lightly at a strand, correcting, “ _So much like his father when he was a younger man_.” Her husband went silent and she leaned down, pressing a kiss to his temple. “You can’t blame the boy, Haytham. The things he’s gone through as a child… _losing Ziio_ … _growing up believing that Charles was responsible_ …” (Y/N) sighed, adding, “ _It’s made him who he is. You can’t change that, no matter how much you try to reason with him_.”

Her husband kept quiet and a heartbreaking look crossed his face as he whispered, “I just want to _help_ him.”

She smiled sadly, murmuring, “Darling you can…but you have to do it through _love_.” He looked up at her with a heavy gaze, and she cupped his cheek, running her thumb under his eye. “Such beautiful eyes you have.” His lips curled up slightly and she asked, “Do you know what I first thought of them when I met you?” Haytham hummed in response and she said, “I thought to myself, ‘My god…his eyes look like they’ve been forged from star metal.’” This time, his lips pulled a little higher and she added, “And even through all these years, despite how dull you think they’ve gotten… _I still think they shine like the brightest star in the sky_.” Haytham reached up, holding on to the hand that cupped his cheek, then moved his head, pressing his lips to her palm.

Sighing, he murmured, “You’re still _such a poet,_ Missus Kenway.”

(Y/N) giggled, gently poking his nose as she countered, “ _Only for you_ , Mister Kenway.”

The two smiled at one another when a knock sounded from their door. Immediately the two split, rising to their feet, (Y/N) curling her hand around a saber by her chair, Haytham pulling a spare flintlock from the door side table. He looked over at her and she nodded, watching as he opened the door.

She listened as the surprise colored his tone and he sputtered, “ _Connor_?” (Y/N)’s brows rose, and she peeked around her husband, looking out the door. Sure enough, the young man stood on their doorstep, a look of uncertainty on his face. Haytham recovered from the shock, inquiring, “What are you doing here?”

Connor cleared his throat, murmuring, “I did not have time to make it back to the Homestead before the sun went down.” He shuffled his feet, evidently nervous. “Many of the inns do not allow natives to stay.” He looked straight at his father, asking, “May I stay the night?”

Haytham’s jaw went slack and (Y/N) scoffed, shoving at his side. “ _Oh, move out of the way already and let the poor boy inside_.” Half-listening to his wife, Haytham shuffled to the side and (Y/N) opened the door, holding out a hand to Connor, inconspicuously stowing the saber in the corner. “Please, come inside, Connor.” He offered her a tight smile as he stepped inside, eyes moving from them to the entry way, taking in the sight. She placed a hand on his upper arm, pointing to the stairs. “Second door on the left is the guest room, dear. Make yourself at home. Dinner will be ready in about an hour or so.” He nodded, leaving the two standing in the entryway.

After he disappeared upstairs, Haytham shut the front door and glared at her, hissing, “Do you _really_ think it was wise to invite him _inside_?”

(Y/N) rolled her eyes, countering, “Oh _shush_. He’s not going to do anything, Haytham.”

“And you know this _how_?”

She huffed, motioning to the stairs. “You saw how he was acting. If he were going to kill us, he’d probably wouldn’t’ve gone through the trouble of asking to stay the night.” Before he could say anything, she raised a pointer finger, firmly stating, “ _He’s staying the night and I don’t want to hear another word about it, Haytham Kenway_.”

His mouth snapped shut but he still glowered at her and she stuck her tongue out as she passed him. “ _Oh, that’s mature_.” Waving him off, she disappeared into the kitchen.

** A Few Hours Later: **

The two sat in the living room, a comfortable silence between them as they did. Haytham had gone upstairs earlier to take a bath, leaving (Y/N) and Connor to their own devices. She’d suffered through an awkward dinner between them, and she certainly wasn’t going to do it again, so she waited until he spoke to her. When he did, she almost didn’t hear it, his voice so quiet as he asked, “Was he always so cold-hearted when he was younger?”

The book in her hands went slack as she questioned, “Can you repeat that dear?”

Connor looked up at her. “My father…was he always so… _cold_ to enemies? Even to people?” (Y/N) let out a sigh, closing the book in her hands, searching for the words. “If you do not wish to answer, I understand.”

She shook her head, placing the book on the table next to her as she said, “It’s not that I _don’t_ want to answer, it’s just…” She waved a hand, continuing, “Your father’s been through a lot during his life, Connor…much like you have.”

His face pinched, obviously upset at being compared to his father and he scoffed, “Oh, so he watched his mother die in a raging fire as well?”

(Y/N) frowned and corrected, “ _No…but he did watch his father get murdered in front of him as a child_.” Connor’s jaw went slack and she added, “I know that everything you think of Haytham has been framed from the view of what Lee did to your village and what the assassins have told you, _but do not let that blind you from seeing that your father’s life has been just as scarred as yours has, Connor_.” The young man shut his mouth, jaw clenching and she looked away, staring into the fire. “ _I apologize…I didn’t mean to sound so harsh…Haytham’s trauma and memories are his own…just as yours are…one doesn’t gain level over the other…they’re both hard on the two of you_.”

Another bout of silence encompassed them, then he inquired, “Was he ever… _happy_?”

(Y/N) smiled, looking back over at him. “He is when he’s at home and not dealing with the outside world…he _certainly_ was back in the day.” Her eyes narrowed with a fondness as she offered, “You might have his lips and nose, _but you take after Ziio so much_.”

Connor’s eyes widened and he breathed, “You know about my mother?”

She chuckled, nodding her head. “I’d like to think at one point in time that she and I were friends. She was… _like a tempest on legs_.” (Y/N) hummed. “I think he really did love her at some point…it changed a lot between us when we got married.” She looked at him. “He _still_ loved her. And even though I knew he loved me too, it wasn’t hard to tell that sometimes he thought about her and what could’ve been.”

“She did not talk about him much.”

(Y/N) nodded, a frown crossing her lips. “They parted on less than glad terms… _much of it was Haytham’s fault_.”

“Does he _still_ love my mother?”

She paused, then took a deep breath, answering, “I don’t think he does like he used to…” (Y/N) met his gaze and rose from her armchair, crossing the room to stand in front of him. She knelt and held out her hand, waiting for him to take it. When he did, she brushed her thumbs over his knuckles, stating, “ _But I know that part of his heart that she used to inhabit has been replaced with love for you._ ” Connor looked at her incredulously and she murmured, “I love that stubborn bastard with all my heart, but that’s exactly what he is… _a stubborn bastard_.” A laugh escaped Connor and she added, “He’d _never_ admit it, but he _does_ love you Connor, and he _does_ care…he’s just unsure of how to show it.” (Y/N) reached up, pushing a piece of his hair behind his ear. “ _Two sides of the same coin you both are_.” He didn’t say anything, and she pulled her hands away, then gently patted his leg. “No matter what happens in the future Connor, you will always have a home here. You are always welcome.”

As she rose and turned, he called, “Even if we are not related? Or on the same side?”

(Y/N) stopped and looked back at him, smiling, “I’m _old,_ Connor…I’m pushing _fifty_ this year.” She let out a chuckle. “I’ve been alive a long time, dear…and as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that we’re not really on different sides. We’re all searching for the _same_ thing just with _different_ ideals.” She took a breath, then continued, “As for us not being related…well… _you’re my husband’s son…that makes you family in my book, dear_.” (Y/N) offered him a heartfelt smile and nodded her head. “Goodnight Connor. Sleep well.” He nodded back at her, a troubled smile on his face.

As she entered their bedroom, she shut the door behind her, sighing as she untied the robe around her waist, leaving her in Haytham’s long shirt. (Y/N) groaned as she fell into the bed beside him, burrowing herself into the covers and ultimately his side. He glanced over the glasses he wore, grinning as he moved the book so she could rest her head on his hip. “Tired?” She groaned again, throwing an arm over his legs.

He gave another smile, going back to his book, but stopped when she quipped, “ _I don’t know if you know this, but you’re old and your knees make noises when you move_.” Haytham’s steely gaze met hers and she said, “I heard you a few moments before I came upstairs.”

His eyes left hers, looking to the side and he replied, “I didn’t wish to interrupt the two of you…besides… _everything I could’ve said came better from you_.” (Y/N) smiled sadly, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair.

She wrapped a silver strand around her finger, joking, “Man, if your body couldn’t tell me you were old, your _hair_ certainly could.”

Haytham barked a laugh, looking down at her, countering, “ _You’ve got just as much gray hair as I do._ ”

Her hands immediately went to her head and she asked, “Do I?” He nodded and she frowned, “Oh no… _I’m_ _old_.”

Haytham chuckled, bending down to kiss her lips and he murmured against them, “We can be old _together_ , Missus Kenway.”

(Y/N) smiled, pecking his lips. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, Mister Kenway.” As he pulled back, an easy smile crossed his lips, but it quickly dropped as he gasped, a hand going to his back. Her eyes went wide, and she sat up, worriedly asking, “ _Are you alright_?”

He nodded his head, breathing, “ _My back_.” For a moment, she didn’t say anything, then her head tipped back as she cackled loudly. His face dropped and he griped, “ _Oh, laugh it up you wicked witch_.”

(Y/N) reached up wiping the tears that were gathering in her eyes. “Oh my god…that’s _hilarious_.” Leaning forward, she pressed her lips to his cheek, then laid down in the bed, curling the covers to her neck. “You’re having back pain. _Haytham Kenway, you’re officially an old man_.”

“ _Wicked witch_.”

“I’m _your_ wicked witch.”

Haytham grunted as he sat up, then he placed the book on the nightstand, looking over at her before he let out the candle, whispering, “ _Forever and always_.”


End file.
